A/HRC/22/33 E. Violations of freedom of expression and of the right to information 57. The Mission found that in Bamako and Mopti freedom of expression and information are becoming increasingly restricted. Many people living in these two cities who were interviewed said that they were afraid to speak freely, especially to criticize the army or the Government. 58. Some serious incidents demonstrate the precarious nature of the freedom of the press, even if independent newspapers still regularly criticize State institutions, including the army. In this connection, on 2 July 2012, Mr. Abderrahmane Keïta, editor of the biweekly l’Aurore was abducted at night by armed and hooded men, taken by car from the centre of Bamako and beaten up. His captors reportedly told him: “It is men like you who are causing trouble in the country!” Prior to the attack, Mr. Keïta had received death threats. Ten days later, Mr. Saouti Haïdara, editor of the newspaper l’Indépendant, was beaten up by masked men who threatened him with a gun and broke one of his arms. 59. The Mission was also informed, by many sources, of acts of persecution and death threats carried out in early November 2012 against a rapper from Bamako called Roberto Magic Sapper. He allegedly received death threats after a song criticizing the military. Unidentified armed men reportedly went to his home several times. F. Deterioration of the socioeconomic situation 60. The crisis in Mali has a considerable impact on the economic situation. The suspension of direct international development aid to the Malian Government following the coup of 22 March has further reduced the meagre resources of the country, whose budget has been reduced by one third. The withdrawal of major donors and investors has led to the closure of major public works, exacerbating unemployment. Tourism has come to a standstill. In addition, families displaced from northern Mali are putting considerable pressure on the diminished resources of households and social institutions in the south. Well before the onset of the crisis, about 43 per cent of the population lived below the absolute poverty line (less than US$ 1.25 per day). Since the crisis, the rate has risen to 50 per cent. VII. Fragility of the security sector and active tolerance of certain vigilante groups 61. The Mission noted with deep concern the current fragility of Malian institutions. Security forces are heavily polarized between supporters of the leaders of the coup (military green berets and the Siméon Keita police association) and their opponents (military red berets and the Tidjani Coulibaly police association). This situation generates a profound instability that does not encourage respect for human rights. 62. The Mission is deeply concerned about the existence of vigilante groups, in violation of Malian law. Pro-government militias such as Ganda Koy (estimated to have 1,842 men) enjoyed the complicity of successive governments and were deployed alongside the national army in strategic towns in the north until they fell under the control of rebel groups. The militia withdrew to Sévaré in Mopti between April and May 2012. Since then, several other militias, such as Ganda Izo (estimated to have 1,337 men) and Forces de Libération des Régions Nord du Mali (FLN) (estimated to have 847 men), have been established in the south for deployment in the north to protect vulnerable populations and fight against insurgent rebel groups. A senior military official told the Mission “with a failed State and in view of the emergency situation in the country people are organizing 16 GE.13-10067